Washing-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A WELLS WASHING MACHINE.

No. 459,775. Patented Sept. 22.1891.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. WELLS. WASHINGMAGHINE.

No. 459,775. Patented Sept. 22,1891.

III,

N I| I\\\\\\\ flgigsfis. I WENTUR.

Nrrni) STATES PATENT FFICE.

ALBERT ELLS, .OF SARANAO, MICHIGAN.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,77 5, datedSeptember 22, 1891.

Application filed April 24, 1891- Serial No. 390,220. (No model.

T0 on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT WELLS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Saranac, in the county of Ionia and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in WVashing-Machines; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements inwashing-machines; and it consists in a certain construction andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully set forth, the essentialfeatures of the device being pointed out particularly in the claims.

The objects of the invention are to provide a machine that is simple ofconstruction, effectual, and easy of operation; that is so constructedas to enable the swinging rubbinghead to be readily placed in themachine or removed therefrom, and that is provided with means whereby auniform pressure upon the clothes is maintained when placed between theswinging and stationary rubbing-surfaces of the machine and whereby theswinging rubbing-head is given an increased vertical adjustment. Theseobjects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvedmachine. Fig.2 is an enlarged view of the locking device that securesthe swing ing head in place. Fig. 3 is a view of same, showing saidswinging head partially with drawn or raised. Fig. 4 is a verticallongitudinal section through the machine. Fig. 5 is averticalcross-section through the body only of the machine. Fig. 6 is across-section through the swinging head and the oscillating shaft onwhich it rocks.

Referring to the letters of reference, A indicates the sides of thebody, to which are se-' cured the supporting-legs of the machine. Saidsides are provided in their inner adja cent faces with a circular groove1), in which is located a strip of rubber or like flexible material a,as shown in Fig. 4.

13 indicates a corrugated sheet of zinc or suitable metal, which iscurved to conform to the shape of the grooves b in the sides A, in whichthe edges of said sheet are received, and are adapted to bear againstthe rubber packing a therein, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the sides Abeing secured by the transverse bolts 0, that pass through said sidesand lie in the corrugations in the under face of the metal sheet B. Bymeans of said bolts the sides A may be drawn tightly together upon theedges of the metal sheet 13, forcing the rubber packing a in the groovesb in said sides firmly against the edges of said sheet, thereby making awater-tight joint between the sides A and the edges'of the metal sheetB, said sheetforming a concaved corrugated bottom to the machine, asclearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The sides A are additionally coupled attheir respective ends by the vertical end piece D and the cross-piece E.The vertical end piece supports the ledge F at the forward end of themachine, to the inner edge of which the front end of the bottom B isattached, the rear end of said bottom being secured at n to thecross-piece E, (see Fig. 4,) making a secure and tight receptacle tocontain the water and clothes.

G indicates the side pieces of the swinging head, the lower edges ofwhich are circular to conform to the concaved bottom B. Said sides G areconnected by the cross-pieces H,

and to the circular edges thereof is secured the corrugated metal sheetI, which forms the rubbing-surface of the swinging head, as clearlyshown in Fig. 4.

J indicates a vertical lever, the lower end of which is secured in thecross-pieces H of the swinging head. Said lever passes loosely throughthe rock-shaft K, and its upper end is hinged at (Z to one end of thehorizontal lever L, which is supported near its longitudinal center bythe forked brace-rod O, the lower diverging ends of said brace-rod beingpivoted to the cross-piece E, as shown at c in Fig. 1, the upper pointof which is pivoted at c to the under face of the lever L, the outer endof said lever carrying the handle m.

The rock-shaft K is provided in each end thereof with a screw-bolt 6,(see Fig. 6,) that form the journals on which said shaft rocks theopposite upper edges of the sides A, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8. Theouter ends of the journal-bolts 6 pass loosely through the swinging armsh near the beveled end 0, the opposite end of said arms being pivoted tothe outer faces of the sides A, as shown at 0 in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Bythis arrangement when it is desired to withdraw the swinging head fromthe tub or body the shaft K may be raised from its bearings and theswinging head rocked back and upward, supported by the arms h, as shownin Fig. and by dotted lines in Fig. 4.

f indicates an automatic catch-plate that is eccentrically pivoted at sto the outer face of the sides A. Said plate presents the form of atriangle, one of whose lines is curved, and is so hung as to normallystand in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, in which position thesquare end of said plate, when the arm is down, will engage the beveledend 0 thereof, as shown in Fig. 1, and lock said arm in that position.When it is desired to lift the swinging rubbing-head from the body ofthe machine, the catch-plate is turned back so that its beveled orrounded point will rest against the beveled end 0 of the arm h, as shownin Fig. 2. The arm h is then unlocked, and the rubbing-head may then beswung out to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. l, the plate fresuming the position shown in Fig. As the rubbing-head is returned thearms h guide the journals 6 of the rock-shaft K to their bearings 1',and the point 0 of the arm It will engage the plate fand swing itssquare end down until the beveled end 0 of said arm slips pastthe uppercorner thereof, when said plate will drop back and lock the parts, asshown in Fig. l and by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

1 indicates a spring, ellipticaliu form, having the coil c at the ends.Said spring is placed bet-ween the rock-shaft K and the uppercross-piece II of the rubbing-head. By means of the tension of thisspring the rubhing-surface of the swinging head is held down upon theclothes, which are placed between it and the corrugated bottom B, andsaid head is permitted to adjust itself vertically to a large or smallquantity of clothes in the washer, and by means of the formation andmanner of attaching said spring it occupies no space between the shaft Kand the upper cross-piece II of the swinging head, thereby permittingthe greatest possible vertical play to said head, enabling a largequantity of clothes to be placed thereunder.

t 2. indicate guide-spindles, the lower ends of which are secured in thecross-pieces II of the swinging head and whose upper ends pass looselythrough the shaft or crosshead K, whereby the swinging head is guided inits vertical play, which construction is clearly shown in Figs. 1 an d6. The shoulders formed by the heads .2 on the upper ends of thespindles t engage the upper face of the shaft K and restrain the springI from forcing the rubbing-surface I of the swinging head into contactwith the bottom B when there are no clothes in the washer, holding saidsurfaces slightly apart, as shown in Fig. 4;.

To place the clothes in the washer the catch-plates f are turned so asto unlock the arms h. The vertical lever J is then grasped and therubbing-head lifted out to the position shown by the dotted lines inFig. 4-. The clothes and water are then placed in the tub or body of thewasher and the swinging rubbing-head replaced and secured by thecatch-plates f. The machine is now ready for washing, and by graspingthe handle on of the lever L and reciprocating said lever horizontallythe rubbing head is thereby swung back and forth upon the rock-shaft K,the clothes being rolled and pressed between its rubbing-surface I andthe corrugated b0ttom B of the machine, whereby they are quickly andeffectually washed, and by the use of the extended horizontal lever Lthe operator is not required to work over the steam from the water andis permitted to stand in an erect position, thus enabling the machine tobe more easily operated; and by the employment of the forked brace O tosupport the lever L said lever is restrained from lateral play,obviating the twisting of the hinge (Z.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the body of the machine, the sides thereof havingthe U-shaped bearings in their upper edge, the swinging head journaledin said bearings, the swinging arms pivotally mounted on the rock-shaftof said head and havinga pivotal connection at one end with the sides ofthe body, the free ends of said arms having the beveled ends, and thetriangular catch-plates pivotally mounted on the sides of the tub and inthe path of the swinging arms, engaging therewith, substantially asspecified.

2. In a washing-machine, the swinging head having the curved andcorrugated metal bottom, and the cross-pieces made fastto the sides ofsaid head, combined with the rock-shaft, the guide-spindles passingloosely through the rock-shaft, their lower ends being made fast to thecross-pieces H, the elliptic spring being located between the rock-shaftand the upper cross-piece, and the lever attached to the rock-shaft,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT WELLS. IVitnesses:

E. S. XVHEELER, O. B. BAENZIGER.

